Signoes to a



l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES W. MCKEE AND D. W. KELLOGG, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, AS- SIGNORS TO A. B. NIMBS AND JOHN C. CLIFFORD, OF SAME PLACE.

PORTABLE WET-GRAIN ELEVATOR.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 42,733, dated May 10, 1864.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JAMES W.MCKEE and DAN W. KELLOGG, of the city ot' Bualo, county of Erie, and State of New York, assign- Vors to ARHENNA B. NIMES and JOHN G. CLIF- FORD, of the same place, have invented a new and Improved Portable Wet-Grain Elevator,

and for other purposes and we do hereby dep work of the machine, whichis made sufficiently strong to support the engine, elevating-leg, and all of the working machinery.

B represents a truck upon four wheels, upon which the main frame with all its machinery is placed for easy movement from place to place. The main frame is balanced upon this truck, and is held and allowed to swing thereon by means of the king-bolt B. By this means the truck can stand upon the wharf or upon the deck of a vessel, andthe frame can swing around so as to place the foot of the leg in the hatch of a vessel alongside. The engine may be made to drive the truck from place to place.

C represents the elevatingleg. This con sists of two flat tubes or troughs, through which the elevating-buckets work. They are placed parallel with each other, so that the leg may slide up and down in oscillatingjaws, which are connected with the main frame, and hereinafter more fully described.

D, Fig. I, represents the bucket, which may be ot' ordinary construction; and D', an endless chain of links to which the buckets are connected. This endless chain and buckets revolve around the toothed drums E, placed at each end of the leg, as represented in Figs. I and II.

It will be noticed that the lower drum is placed at the extreme end of the leg. This is for the purpose of allowing the buckets to pass below the end of the leg, so that they can freely dip into and pick up wet grain without clogging. In the ordinary construction of elevating-legs for dry grain the buckets work within the legs, an opening being left at the bottom for the grain to ow to the bucket. This will not answer for wet grain, especially after it is a little sprouted or matted together, for in such case the grain will clog at the mouth of the leg. Our improvement will remedy this difficulty, as the bucket,` when it dips into the wet grain, is outside o1 the leg and Ventirely free to fill and free itsell from the mass before it passes into the leg.

These buckets may also be used to advantage for elevating water, and in many cases can be used with facility and to great advantage, as or in the place of a wreckers-pump.

F represen ts oscillating jaws, which are hung upon the shaft F. This shaft has appropriate bearings on the main frame near one end thereof', as shown at g y', so that the jaws have a permanent connection to the frame, and at the same time will freely oscillate upon the shaft F. These jaws have a broad and full bearing upon both parts of the leg by means of a central block placed between them and also on the sides by means-of the side plates, which are made fast to said block, and which lap thereon, as shown at f3, so that the jaws will hold the leg firmly and at the same time allow it to freely slide up and down therein.

H is a tackle block, placed and fastened be tween the two parts of the leg at the bottom thereof, and H is a tackle-block fastened to the jaws between the two parts of the leg. Appropriate ropes run from these tackle-blocks over suitable sheaves back to the engineer or operator, so that by means thereof-the leg may be quickly elevated or lowered, as may be desired.

I is a rod, which works through the short cylinders I', which rod takes hold of the leg by means of a slide, js, which runs in an appropriate groove or dovetail therein. This rod is also connected to the shaft J by means of ropes or cords K, so that by turning the hand-wheel J in one direction the foot of the in the other direction it will be drawn inwardly, and the foot of the leg thereby thrown outwardly or inwardly, as desired, and at the same time the leg may be raised or lowered by means of the tackle-blocks H H', as aforesaid, and hence the foot of the leg may be changed from place to place and used at the point required.

L represents a grain-cleaner, which is placed underthe spout at the upper end of the leg, which is more particularly adapted for cleaning dry grain as it passes through. This cleaner has a perforated outside cylinder, L, an inside spirally-inclined plane, L', upon which the grain slides down, and a central perforated tube, L2, through which air is forced kfrom the blower M. The blower is connected ft'o the leg near the top thereof, aud the pipe fm conducts the air from the blower to the central perforated tube, L2.

The blower is run by means ofa band, N,

leading from the pulley N' to a pulley, m2, on the shaft of the blower.

The pulley N' is placed on the bucket-shaft E' at the top of 'the leg.

yIn Figs. IV and V is represented an im- :proved form of chain for carrying the buckets, which is composed of the straight eyelinks D2 and the cross connecting-rods d3.

Two of these links slip on each end of the rod, as shown in Figs. IV and V. The ends of the Arods project through the links far enough to catch in the notches of the wheels O, as shown in Fig. IV. The shaft of the wheels O is shown at O', Fig. V. The buckets may be riveted or bolted onto the links, as shown at d4, Fig. IV.

P-and P' represent an engine and boiler placed in the main frame opposite the elevating-leg, so that the engine and leg will balance each other on the frame and allow theframe to be easily turned on its king-bolt B'.

' Q is a balance-wheel on the driving-shaft Q' of the engine; It, pulley on same shaft; S, pulley on the shaft which drives the conveyer T; S', belt passing over pulleys S and R; T, conveyer. This is for the purpose of receivingl the elevated grain as it is discharged from the leg and -to convey it thence into a boat alongside, or to a store-house or receiver, or such other place as circumstances may require. It passes over the pulleys or drums T' T2. Wet grain cannot be carried oif in spouts, and hence it is necessary to provide for and use an endless apron or conveyer for that purpose.

U, Fig. II, represents a hopper for receiving dry grain in case the conveyer is not used, and V V' spouts for conducting the grain as it is discharged therefrom to receivers on either side. Y

W represents a hopper and weighing-scales suspended upon each side of the main frame, so that the grain may be weighed as it is transferred.

X represents the main drivin g-belt, which passes over an appropriate pulley on the main driving-shaft Q', and thence over the .weighted pulley Y, and thence over the pulley N'. This communicates motion to the elevating-buckets. The weighted pulleys Y are guided in grooves in the side of the leg, but may properly be guided in a vertical standard for that purpose. This portable elevator is alsoequally adapted for handling dry grain and for transferring it from vessel to vessel, or from` vessel to store-house.

What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The oscillating jaws F, for the purpose of supporting and operating the elevating-leg therein,substantially as described.

2. Extending and operating the elevatingbuckets below the foot of the leg so that they may easily :lill with wet grain and pass up the legv without clogging,when combined with the raising, lowering, and supporting tackle H H', and adjusting-rod I, substantially as vset forth.

3. The combination of the conveyer T with a portable elevator, substantially as described. 4. The combination of the blower M and cleaning apparatus L with a portable elevating-machine, substantially as set forth. J. W. MCKEE.

D. WV. KELLOGG. Witnesses:

E. B. FoRBUsH, Gno. W. WALLACE. 

